EFFECT OF UPPER EYELID BLEPHAROPLASTY ON CORNEAL EPITHELIAL THICKNESS AND CORNEAL TOMOGRAPHY

Published 2023 - 27th ESCRS Winter Meeting

Reference: O54 | Type: Free Paper Submission | DOI: 10.82333/8txs-yk77

Authors: Pedro Carreira* ¹ , Tomás Loureiro ¹ , Filipe Moraes ¹ , Gonçalo Tardão ¹ , Sandra Barros ¹ , Ana Cardoso ¹ , Audrey Sampaio ¹ , Nuno Campos ¹

¹Hospital Garcia de Orta,lisboa,Portugal

Purpose

Corneal epithelial thickness profile is influenced by upper tarsal mechanical forces which modulate corneal astigmatism. Upper eyelid blepharoplasty reduces upper tarsal strength and could have an impact ocular surface. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of upper eyelid blepharoplasty on corneal epithelial thickness profile, astigmatism, and aberrations.

Setting

Hospital Garcia de Orta

Methods

Patients were evaluated using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) (Zeiss Cirrus 5000 HD-OCT) and Pentacam (Oculus, Wetzlar Germany) before surgery and on the 8^th postoperative week. Corneal epithelial thickness, corneal curvature, corneal aberrations and asphericity were compared. Randomization was performed and only one eye of each patient was considered for statistical purposes. A p-value lower than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

30 eyes of 30 patients were included. The amount of astigmatism did not change after surgery (0.75D vs. 0.85D, p=0.33). The difference between preoperative and postoperative steepest axis was 21.3º with a tendential change toward the vertical meridian. The mean superior epithelial thickness was lower before surgery (42µm vs. 45 µm, p<0.01) and the difference between inferior and superior meridians was higher (7µm vs 3µm, p<0.001). There were no statistically significant changes in corneal aberrations (p=0.52) and asphericity (p=0.41) after surgery.

Conclusion

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty influences corneal epithelial thickness profile and may alter corneal steepest axis. This surgery should be considered before cataract surgery in patients with dermathocalasis, in particular, those who are considered for toric intraocular lens implantation.